Social and Personality Psychology Compass

How to Cite

Bridger, A. J. (2010), Walking as a ‘Radicalized’ Critical Psychological Method? A Review of Academic, Artistic and Activist Contributions to the Study of Social Environments. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 4: 131–139. doi: 10.1111/j.1751-9004.2009.00243.x

Abstract

The study of social environments is a neglected site of research not only in psychology, but across academic disciplines ranging from human geography to cultural studies. This paper will review contributions to studying social environments through academic writings, situationism and psychogeographical groups. It will be argued that disorientating walking practices can be used as a means to reflect on experiences of places in order to begin to think how social environments could be radically changed. It is important to question the taken for granted ways that people make sense of urban environments. It is argued that psychogeographic practice can be used to extend qualitative epistemologies and methods to argue for a ‘turn to place’ in psychology and to open up new methods and approaches in critical psychology. Finally, the implications for radicalizing critical psychological research methods will be considered in relation to the current status of critical psychology, which suffers from an apathetic vision of radicalism and criticality.